2016 AARP Florida Caregiving Study

Most Florida residents age 45 and older have experiences as family caregivers, or believe they are likely to be caregivers in the future.  Florida residents age 45 and older say they have provided care — either currently (21%) or in the past (48%) — on an unpaid basis for an adult loved one who is ill, frail, elderly or has a disability. Of those who have never provided care, nearly half (49%) say it is at least somewhat likely that they will do so in the future. Typical family caregivers in Florida are women (65%) and over 55 years old (80%).  They are likely to be married (61%), and have a college degree (67%). The average age of the person they care for is 65 years or older.

Key findings include the following:

• Both current and former caregivers have provided care in a myriad of ways, with about 80 percent assisting with complex care like medication management (79%).
  
  
• The vast majority of Florida registered voters age 45-plus strongly support proposals to help family caregivers care for their loved ones and continue to work.
  
  
• Many (71%) current and past caregivers say it is likely that they will need to provide care again in the future.
  
  
• Nearly 90 percent of Florida registered voters age 45-plus support measures to use surplus state budget funds to end waiting lists for critical services (87%).

AARP Florida commissioned a telephone survey of 1,965 registered voters age 45-plus to learn about their experiences with family caregiving.  This report highlights results from residents interviewed between May 27 and June 16, 2016.  The data was weighted to reflect registered voters in Florida age 45-plus.  For more information contact ABonner@aarp.org.